A method of computer simulation of the fracture of layered composites during a 3-point bending test is developed. A model of failure is considered which can be applied to two-component brittle layered composites (in particular ceramic-matrix composites). This particular model is executed for composites with the number of layers N = 3, 7 and 15. The model is applied for the description of mechanical behaviour of two-component ceramic-matrix layered composites. The trends of the theoretical calculations agree with data obtained from 3-point bending test of real ceramic-matrix layered composites. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.